Group Conference, Meeting & Events Manager (fixed term 1 year)

DoubleTree by Hilton St Anne's Manor is set in 25 acres pf landscaped gardens and woodlands on the edge of Wokingham and within easy reach to Bracknell and Reading.

We are looking for a manager who is able to cover maternity leave who has the true passion of hospitality to join our and lead our events and wedding team. You would need to be customer focused by consistently delivering excellent customer service with an informed, friendly and effective approach.

To ensure Groups, Conference & Events business targets for revenue, occupancy and profit are achieved to budget.

To grow the business through proactive selling and effective conversion of all enquiries, using the agreed company system maximizing profit at all times.

Would be an ideal role for a experienced event sales executive looking for their next role.

Hilton ONQ experienced would be an advantage.

Responsibilities

Customer Focus:

1. To ensure that your area of responsibility creates a professional impression to customers and Team Members.

2. To review and act on Customer Service Reports relevant to your areas of responsibility to achieve positive and consistent results.

3. To act upon customer feedback relevant to your areas of responsibility. This to include customer complaints and compliments.

Business Awareness:

4. To be fully aware of budgeted and actual departmental financial targets. This to include rooms sales, market segments, average room rates and yield management.

5. To control and monitor payroll costs by compiling rotas in line with forecasted and actual business levels.

6. To implement standards, maintain and constantly improve departmental operating standards. This to include ensuring that weekly event schedules are collated, produced and distributed to the standard laid down.

7. To be fully aware of and control departmental operating costs in line with forecasted business levels.

8. To be fully aware of purchasing procedures in the department.

9. To ensure the department operates effective controls and that the department scores well on audits and evaluations.

10. To accurately forecast the business weekly, monthly and for 13 weeks when required.

11. To liaise with Conference & Events Operations, Front Office and Accounts to ensure the accurate production of Conference & Events bills and that these are sent to clients within 24 hours of the event finishing.

Growing the Business:

12. To positively approach sales opportunities in order to maximise sales revenue in order to meet and exceed budgeted sales targets for the department.

13. To keep all department Team Members sales focused and maintain a selling culture throughout the department.

14. To ensure that the reservations for Groups, Conference & Events are solid and accurate through:

Carrying out a full strip and check of the correspondence against the diary every 3 months, for the next 12 months.

Sending out contracts for all bookings (and ensuring that an activity or reminder is created & completed when the contract is sent out).

Ensuring that the bedrooms are booked for the conference by using the procedure laid down for block/group bookings in the PMS.

When the contract is returned changing the status to definite in the PMS and filing the paperwork in the correct file.

Ensuring effective chase systems are in place using the relevant function in the PMS.

Adhering to the company credit policy.

15. To maximise the conversion of enquiries through:

Ensuring the correct telephone techniques are used within the GCE office team.

Ensuring that all team members can take a basic reservation through which ever system used and handle an initial conference & events enquiry.

Reviewing the enquiries and tentative bookings each week to ensure that the appropriate next action is in place to convert the enquiries the hotel wants.

Ensuring that outside revenue office hours, enquiries for reservations and conferences can be handled effectively.

Ensuring all team members have the appropriate level of product knowledge.

16. To ensuring all Conference and Events enquiries are handled according to the standards laid down.

17. To work with the M&T Sales Director to plan the maximisation of the revenue from rooms and conference & events space.

18. Reviewing incoming enquiries to identify the business that is most suitable for the hotel.

19. Monitoring appointments for effectiveness and results.

20. Carrying out gap analysis or from information provided provide a plan of action required for filling identified gaps.

21. Gathering information on the competition so that the hotels market position is known.

22. To ensure the hotels have a good working relationship with all key agents to ensure good level of enquiries is generated.

23. To ensure the PMS system is operated to the required standards ensure the effective management of the Conference & Events business.

24. To maintain competitor information on SWOT analysis forms, and to organise regular visits to competitor hotels as required.

25. To assist in ensuring the hotels achieve maximum potential yield over 12 months using yield techniques and communicating these within the sales team and other departments.

26. To be involved in the creation and implementation of the Hotels Revenue Plans and Sales Action Plans.

Team Management

27. To lead and create a team environment which promotes good morale and ensures a high level of commitment and pride in the hotel.

28. To ensure effective communication within the team by holding regular briefing sessions and attending hotel meetings when required.

29. To carry out quality planned training and development in a systematic and professional way in order to meet the needs of the business and assist in individual Team Members personal development. To ensure training is recorded and all Team Members follow the appropriate Departmental Training Scheme/s.

30. To compile the department training plan to meet the hotel business objectives and develop Team Members.

31. To carry out performance reviews for Team Members following Company guidelines.

32. To set clear objectives for departmental Team Members linked with the hotels business plan.

33. To co-ordinate the recruitment of new Departmental Team Members up to supervisory level in line with the Company Recruitment Policy.

34. To review the success of training in meeting objectives.

35. To correct unacceptable behavior and performance in line with the Company disciplinary procedures.

36. To continuously coach and counsel Team Members within the department including your peers.

Controlling the Environment

37. To ensure the department operates effectively on a day to day basis ensuring Company standards are met and delivered consistently with attention to detail. This to include ensuring shift controls and procedures are adhered to.

38. To comply with your responsibilities under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

39. To comply with statutory and Company requirements for Health and Safety, Food Safety, Risk Assessment, Licensing Laws, Disability and other legislation and ensure your team are trained to meet the above requirements.

40. To ensure all work is carried out safely without risk to health.

41. To ensure all brand standards are met paying particular attention to detail.

42. To implement action on Health & Safety Audits in order to enhance the environment and achieve positive consistent results.

Job Type: Fixed term contract

Contract length: 12 months

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